Desperately seeking Mary...

[Mr J T Arthur]

Michael,

Edward (16) Ellen (14) and Thomas (12) are all in the household of their elderly grandmother Mary A Burgess in 1891 at the small hamlet of Bushblades but the children are listed as Burgess too. Did their parents die young?

Bushblades was the scene of a terrible death a few years earlier when the unfortunate Hugh Daley of Bushblades paid with his life after over reacting to his tormentor.

J.T.A.

[Quinlyn]

Hi JTA,

I am so pleased that you found them.  We have been looking for Nelly (we thought she was called Eleanor) for months!  Their mother, also Mary Ann Burgess, lived until the year 1935, but her husband 'went off' to live somewhere else.  Mary Ann, being Catholic, would not divorce him but reverted back to her maiden name nonetheless.  This may be why the children are called Burgess rather than O'Brien.  Mary Ann became a servant and kept house for people in the area; this may be the reason why the children are living with their grandmother.  After their mother's death, Martin O'Brien was located 'somewhere down south' and much to everyone's surprise had married again!

It is so strange that they lived near Bushblades, as my Grandmother often mentions this place to me.  I am not familiar with the murder that you mentioned, but I am of another terrible tragedy that happened there - which occurred the year my Grandmother was born in 1923.  A young girl, I think her name was Minetta Kelly (not sure how to spell Minetta), was murdered by her beau - Matthew Nunn at Bushblades.  He was found guilty and hung in the early part of the following year.  My great grandmother was friends of the Kelly family, so my Grandma has often told us the tale...

Thank you again for your efforts in finding my family.  You and Jean have been marvellous.

Best wishes,
Michael

[Quinlyn]

Thanks for all of your help.  I haven't managed to find Mary Ann (jnr's) birth certificate, but I did find the marriage information of her parents.  You were right Jean, with the Mary Hogan.  Well done.

Thanks to all, for all of your help, again.

Kind regards,
Michael

[Darlingtonian]

So glad you at least found something out Michael .... glad to have been of help.
Jean

[pckl]

Hello

This isn't any help to anyone but just thought I'd say.

My Great Aunt, Mary Harbertson married John Edward Kelly in 1930. He was the brother of the Minetta Kelly who was murdered you speak of.

My Great Aunt and Uncle's first child in the same year was named Minetta obviously in honour of his sister. She was known as Netta later in life.

If not for this posting I wouldn't have known my Great Uncle's sister had been murdered.

pckl

[Quinlyn]

Hello pckl,

Thanks for letting me know that information.  I have often heard about Minetta, as my Great Grandmother was very good friends with her.  My Grandmother often heard her Mum mention Minetta's name as she grew up.  My Grandmother was born several days before Minetta's death, and the Kelly family were concerned about how the news would affect my Great Grandmother - having just given birth a few days before.  I do have a little bit more information that you may like to know, but due to the sensitive nature of what happened to your relative you may prefer to have the information sent to a private e-mail address (you can e-mail me that on this forum).  That would be fine with me to do that for you, if you are interested.  Unfortunately, we do not have any photographs of Minetta, as I have already asked my Grandmother (after having seen this post).

Good luck with your family research.

Kind regards,
Michael